§ Mr. Royleasked the Minister of Labour if he has inspected the system of interviewing at the Manchester Employment Exchange, and if he will make a statement on the methods used; and if it is his intention to extend the system to other exchanges.
§ Mr. IsaacsYes, Sir. I have visited the Manchester Employment Exchange and examined the system of interviewing in operation there. I was impressed by the speed and efficiency of the system and the satisfaction which it appeared to give to applicants. While all employment interviews are required to be carried out in privacy, the methods adopted at the exchanges must depend on the premises. At Manchester it is possible for interviews to be conducted at tables so placed about the rooms as to ensure reasonable privacy; at some exchanges it is possible to provide separate rooms or cubicles for interviews. Experiments are being carried out at a number of exchanges to ascertain the best methods of adapting existing-buildings to enable a system on the lines of that in operation at Manchester to be introduced.
Another feature of the Manchester system is that unemployed persons attending the exchange are interviewed and considered for employment before claims to unemployment are taken. This arrangement is particularly suitable in areas 149W where there are sufficient vacancies constantly being notified to make it possible to submit a high proportion of applicants for vacancies immediately on registration for employment, and is in operation at most exchanges in the country.